The Speaker on Senator Jean-Robert Gauthier

I want to add a few words about my friend Senator Gauthier. I was elected to this House for the first time in 1988 and for a few years I served as the leader of our party in the House.

Senator Gauthier, for a while, was the House leader for the official opposition and I had the pleasure of working with him quite closely for a number of years, in the days when I took part in these things.

He taught me a lot about the tactics inherent in the House.

I now can sit and observe these tactics at work in the House, but he was an excellent instructor.

Of course, we all remember that Senator Gauthier ran to be Speaker of this House in 1993. It was a very interesting and very very close election. I was a candidate in that election but I was knocked out quite early, understandably, given the quality of the other candidates who were running.

It was a pleasure for me to have known him and worked with him while he was in the chamber and to continue our association while he worked in the Senate.

With his departure, the Parliament of Canada is losing one of its most knowledgeable members, but it is a matter of age in the Senate—not here—and this major change coincides with a significant birthday. Happy birthday, Mr. Senator, and on behalf of all the members of this House, I thank you very much for your service to our country.

I express our very best wishes for a long and enjoyable retirement for you.